This Thing Called Diabetes Life
“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to get through this thing called life.” ~ Prince This thing called diabetes life. That’s why I’m here. That’s why My Diabetic Heart is here. It’s here because I was diagnosed with what was long thought to be type 2 diabetes, and also with congestive heart failure, at age 24. I started writing here as a way to document what I was going through with the scary, life-changing diagnoses that had been dropped in my lap. Writing helped me then and still does when I’m able to find the time and get the words I want to say out of my head. As I continued sharing my story through the blog and other…
Remembering Cherie Rineker
Sometimes, people come into our lives to teach us things. They teach us how to live fully, to love unconditionally, to stand up for our beliefs and for others. And while some may only be with us for a season, they leave an indelible mark on our lives. Cherie Rineker was one of those people for me. I was fortunate to have met her at the HealtheVoices conference in April. Cherie was a multiple myeloma patient and staunch advocate for the cancer community and patients in general. Hearing her speak was amazing. She had such a bright and vibrant personality. So much energy. So kind and warm in conversation. I treasure the time we spent chatting throughout that weekend. I’ve followed…
A Heart Filled with Gratitude
So, it’s been a week now since HealtheVoices19 wrapped up in Dallas. What an amazing weekend of connections, education, empowerment and support it was. I’m still trying to wrap my head around everything that happened at the conference and find the words to capture the experience for a blog post. I hope to share that in the next couple of days. Today, though, I wanted to say thanks to everyone who made the experience possible. This year’s theme, “A Little Heart Can Do Big Things”, was inspired by the wristbands that I shared at last year’s conference. The words are my personal mantra, stemming from my experience with congestive heart failure, and it has been exciting and humbling for me…
Then and Now: Reflecting on 10 Years
I’m really not a fan of the “how hard did aging hit you” challenge that’s floating around social media right now. The idea that aging is something to be ashamed of is totally bogus. Still, I see this as a good time for reflection and gratitude for the time I didn’t expect to live. The photo on the left was taken in October 2008, two months before I was diagnosed with congestive heart failure and what was then believed to be type 2 diabetes. I was near death and didn’t yet know it. When I was diagnosed on December 29, 2008, the doctors didn’t think I’d live another 3 months. A lot has happened since then. There have been some…
10 Years of Living
Today is the 10th anniversary of my initial diagnosis with Type 2 Diabetes and Congestive Heart Failure. My goodness, what a rollercoaster ride it has been. Many things have changed since that day in late December 2008. My diabetes diagnosis chief among them. I actually live with LADA (Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults) or Type 1.5. Wow, ten years. Ten years of knowing, caring, surviving, and sharing. Ten years of knowing that I have two invisible chronic illnesses for which there are no cures. Ten years of knowing that I’m not alone in my fight. That there are millions of others fighting the same things. Ten years of getting to know some of the most amazing people around. Lots of love to everyone…
